SAN JOSE -- The holiday break is over, and it’s back to work for the Sharks as they gear up to host the Pacific Division rival Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night at SAP Center.
“My history with these types of games is that the smarter team usually wins,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer told the media after morning skate. “The team that manages the puck and defends well and waits for opportunities. The impatient, overly aggressive teams usually get burned in these (kinds) of games."
This is the third time San Jose and Anaheim will face off this season. The Sharks hosted the Ducks in their season opener Oct. 3 and were defeated 5-2. In their second faceoff, down in Anaheim, Pontus Aberg tied the game late for the Ducks, but Timo Meier tallied the overtime goal that gave the Sharks a 4-3 victory.
In 138 games between the franchises, the Sharks hold a 71-54-4-9 record. San Jose enters Thursday’s game having won four of the last six meetings (4-1-1) with Anaheim.
Sharks projected lines and pairs
Marcus Sorensen -- Joe Thornton -- Joe Pavelski
Lukas Radil -- Logan Couture -- Timo Meier
Evander Kane -- Tomas Hertl -- Kevin Labanc
Joonas Donskoi -- Barclay Goodrow -- Melker Karlsson
Radim Simek -- Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Justin Braun
Joakim Ryan -- Brenden Dillon
San Jose Sharks
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Martin Jones -- projected starter
Aaron Dell
Ducks projected lines and pairs
Nick Ritchie -- Ryan Getzlaf – Ondrej Kase
Andrew Cogliano -- Ryan Kesler -- Jakob Silfverberg
Pontus Aberg -- Adam Henrique -- Daniel Sprong
Kiefer Sherwood -- Carter Rowney -- Brian Gibbons
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Montour
Jacob Larsson -- Josh Manson
Josh Mahura -- Jake Dotchin
John Gibson -- projected starter
Chad Johnson